The present invention relates generally to a golf club head. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf club head having a weight distribution, and a trailing edge, that is low and deep.
Wood-type and metal wood-type golf clubs, including drivers, are well known and are primarily designed to achieve maximum distance upon impact with a golf ball. Those skilled in the art understand that the most effective way to produce maximum distance when impacting a ball with a golf club head is to combine a high launch angle with a low amount of back spin. A high launch angle is desirable because it dynamically lofts the ball up into the air for a longer duration than lower launch angles. The higher launch angle generally enables the ball to carry or travel further than balls launched at lower launch angles. Low backspin is desirable because it reduces the lift produced by backspin. Backspin can cause a golf ball to excessively rise or balloon upward, which accelerates the ball""s energy consumption, thereby negatively effecting the distance traveled by the ball. In addition, lower spin reduces the side spin effect, thereby reducing slicing and hooking action of the golf ball. Also, lower back spin permits the ball to roll more freely upon landing on the fairway for increased distance.
Wood-type golf clubs, including drivers, typically include a ball striking face, a crown, a sole plate and a side wall. The crown defines the upper surface of the club head and the sole plate defines the lower surface of the club head. The crown typically has a larger surface area than that of the sole plate. Also, when viewing a typical wood-type golf club head from the side at an angle substantially perpendicular to the face of the club head, a rear portion of the side wall typically extends upwardly and rearwardly from the rear end of the sole plate.
Wood-type club heads of this type have a number of drawbacks. First, the larger crown and the upwardly and rearwardly curved rear portion of the club head generally makes the club head top heavy having a high center of gravity. A club head with a high center of gravity requires a greater loft angle in order to achieve a proper launch angle. Further, it is generally more difficult to get a club head having a high center of gravity under the ball during play. Moreover, a higher center of gravity increases the vertical gear effect of the club head. Vertical gear effect describes the condition wherein the face of the club head, when impacting the ball, imparts a back spin onto a ball. The backspin is a byproduct of the pendular path of the club head through the ball during a swing. A club head with a higher center of gravity will impart more back spin onto the ball during impact than a club head with a low center of gravity.
Secondly, metal wood-type golf club heads typically have a center of gravity located near the face of the club head. Such forward positioning of the center of gravity reduces the launch angle of the club head and the ability of the club head to dynamically loft the ball. As a result, greater loft angles are required on the face of the club head to achieve the desired launch angle.
Others have produced metal wood-type golf club heads having a relatively low center of gravity primarily by: increasing the overall size of the sole plate with respect to the crown; adding additional layers of material or otherwise weighting the sole plate. Although such designs can achieve a lower club head center of gravity, they typically do not effect the position of the center of gravity along a horizontal plane. As such, these clubs typically do not optimize the launch angle of the club head.
Club heads have also been produced that have a center of gravity rearwardly positioned away from the face of the club head. These existing club heads typically include the addition of one or more weight members to the club head or additional separate layers of material that can make the club head more difficult to produce reliably and cost effectively.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a golf club head that enables a user to launch a golf ball at an optimum loft angle and with optimum backspin. There is also a continuing need for a metal wood-type club head, including a driver, which optimizes the location of the club head""s center of gravity. It would be advantageous to provide a golf club head that increases the carry and roll of a golf ball. What is needed is a golf club head having a center of gravity that is low and positioned rearward of the face of club head without relying on the addition of extra weight members or extra layers of material.
The present invention provides an integral, hollow metal golf club head. The club head includes a sole plate, a crown, a face, first and second side walls and a rear wall. The sole plate has a rear sole portion. The crown has a rear crown portion. The upwardly and substantially vertically extends from the rear sole position to the rear crown portion. The rear wall and the face connect the sole plate to the crown.
According to a principal aspect of a preferred form of the invention, a single walled, hollow metal golf club head having a geometric center and a center of gravity. The club head includes a crown, a sole plate, a toe portion, a heel portion, a face, a hosel and a side wall. The crown has a rearwardly extending rear crown portion. The crown has a first thickness. The sole plate has a rearwardly extending and substantially planar rear sole portion. The sole plate has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. The face extends between the toe portion and heel portion. The face has an upper edge. The hosel upwardly extends from the crown and is disposed at the toe portion adjacent to the face. The side wall upwardly extends from the sole plate to the crown. The center of gravity of the club head is lower than the geometric center of the club head, and is rearward of a vertical plane that extends through a centerline of the hosel and is substantially parallel to the upper edge of the face.
According to another preferred aspect of the invention is provided. An integral, hollow metal golf club head includes a face, a rear wall and a sole plate. The sole plate has a substantially planar central portion positioned between first and second outwardly and upwardly curved side portions. The central portion rearwardly extends from the face to the rear wall. The first and second side portions rearwardly extend to first and second rearmost points on the sole plate, respectively. The sole plate has first and second shoulders formed by the rearward extension of the central portion beyond the first and second rearmost points of the first and second side portions, respectively.
This invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings described herein below, and wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.